Welcome to the Forever West Miss Bel

So...this we woke up Friday morning at Custer State Park's Center Lake for the second day in a row.  Being able to have a base camp was really helpful when we were just touring up and around the Custer State Park region. Friday's agenda was jammed packed with some geology goodness and then onto Nate and my last state on our westward-ho journey: Wyoming! The Forever West!  #wyomingorbust

Center Lake at Custer State Park

Low and behold we took one more small trek down toward the lake for once last glimpse then off away we went to Wyoming!  Then at 7:30am MST we left Custer State Park.

The Rock we tried/wanted to jump off of.

Around 8:45am we finally entered the Forever West State of Wyoming!  This was such a relief and exciting moment!  A little nerve-wrecking, but to know that we were finally 'home' was a relieving thought to have.  As we traveled through some populated and very unpopulated towns, we saw that the windmills that we had seen in other states were transitioned to lots of oil drills and coal mines! 

Made it to the Forever West!

Where we see lots of Oil Drills!

At 11:30am we made it to a site on our agenda: Devil's Tower.  This place was so cool!!!! 800+ feet of pure volcanic geologic awesomeness!!!  This was something to see.  We could even see this thing before we entered the park area! Also, besides the huge column-geo-craziness, we saw beautiful red sand/soiled layered walls encompassing our road-side journey to this park.

Red Sands at Devil's Tower!

One Day..maybe I'll climb it!

Volcanic Geologic Mass!

We took an hour at max hike around a trail that circles the entire Devil's Tower.  It was really cool to look up at this from all angles.  We even saw some climbers lead climbing this.  Oh my gosh, I do not think I could do that, at least right now.  Maybe after a few months, I mean, YEARS of training!

There were climbers up there!

Nate and I decided to climb on Boulder Field.  We didn't go much farther and higher up than that cause 1. It was already intimidating to be so high up on the boulders and 2. You need to register to climb higher than the boulder field.

Cheesin'

Totally had to summit pose when we got to the top of the boulder field.  It was also really cool to see Prayer cloths and bundles along the way around the tower and on the tower.  This area is very sacred to the Native Americans that live in and around this region.

and Summit Posing!

Prayer bundles and mounds everywhere!

We had lunch around 12:30pm right outside the Tower entrance to the park and refueled for the next leg of the trip.  Passed a coal factory and many oil drills along the way until we finally hit the Bighorn National Forest at 3:00pm.  This was so stinkin' awesome!!! The sights and views were absolutely phenomenal!  We passed over the Powder River Pass about a half hour later, which brought us to about 9,666 ft in elevation!

Elevation: 9,666 ft!

Lots of Rock!

and More Beautiful Rock heading into Buffalo Bill State Park

What the Efff!?!?!?!

So Gorgeous!

The geology we had seen was just unreal and out of this world.  Obviously we don't get to see things like this back east, but to hear Nate talk about certain geologic time periods being seen in the rock and certain formations was cool to see things that you used to hear back in Geology class.

We had some discussion on which place we could stay for that evening, whether to drive to Boysen State Park or Buffalo Bill State Park.  We decided even though from where we were it was about a 5.5 hour drive and probably a better view, Buffalo Bill State Park would be the vote.  Around 6:00pm, we passed the Buffalo Bill Dam and state park.  Passing through Cody, we saw signs for a RODEO.  And well, we definitely couldn't pass that up!

Finally Made it to the destination!

Looking over the Buffalo Bill Reservoir.

Pitching camp on the Buffalo Bill Reservior was beautiful.  Our campsite had a windwall on one side so we figured that it can get pretty windy on the water.  Having a lake side view on one side and then looking up a mountain on the other was a pretty sweet deal!  There were many homes on the mountain side that I couldn't help but look and pick and choose my next dream home...just saying!

My future dream home...just saying!

So after setting up camp and securing our tents so they didn't fly away, we headed back into Cody for a local brew and then onto the Rodeo!  We hit up some bar where the boys tried some local Wyoming brews while I got a taste of some Wyoming Whiskey!!! It was the best, most delicious, and smoothest whiskey ever!  Definitely fell in love!

Introducing myself to the local whiskey!

My First Legit Rodeo at the Cody Night Rodeo!

Then onto the Rodeo!  It was some sight to see some steer riding, steer hog-tying, horse-barrel racing, and some bull riding that evening.  A very different event than the Cowtown, NJ rodeo we all know and love on the east coast.

And here comes the Bull-Riding!

Well, so far, Wyoming is very different from the east coast, but it's a good different and I am anxious and open to see what this state has in store for me and the treasures and events that unfold while being here!

For Saturday: the Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons National Park!  Boom!!!! My day has come I finally get to meet them!

Xoxo,
TheChristyBel